Two dozen small, independent restaurants in the Tri-Counties are getting a big boost from the state’s restaurant foundation and a utility company.
Each of the 24 restaurants is getting a $5,000 grant from the California Restaurant Foundation’s Resilience Fund. The three year old program is intended to bolster support for the small businesses, many of which were hit hard by the pandemic.
The money can be used for anything from equipment and technology upgrades to bonuses to retain employees. The Southern California Gas Company helped support the grants with a million dollar donation.
The recipients include nine restaurants in Ventura County, five in Santa Barbara County, and ten in San Luis Obispo County. Among the grant winners are the Cajun Country Café in Oxnard, Esau’s Café in Carpinteria and Pizza Republic in San Luis Obispo.
